After studying in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) twice during my college days (2 weeks in Warsaw, a semester in Budapest), I wanted nothing but to go back for another 5-10 months. When I found out I was on track to graduate a semester early and had 8 months before I had to start graduate school, I decided to start looking for opportunities to return to CEE.  I looked at placements and programs where I would be able to earn a stipend/salary and I was actually impressed that there were quite a few opportunities, but there was not one place that laid them out. 

TransitionsAbroad has a nice list, so check there, too. This list is for anyone that was in my shoes and anyone more qualified: fresh college graduate, interested in teaching English, minimal experience (I had tutored students in Math, worked as a TA in college, and worked at a summer camp).

Central European Teaching Program
This program is a placement in a public school in Hungary. There is a fee to get the placement, but to teach in a public school in Hungary is very difficult (impossible) to get for an American, so this program is probably the only way it is possible. You are paid a salary equivalent to your Hungarian counterparts, so it is a nice way to get acquainted with Hungarian life and also have money to travel to nearby places. Accommodation is included according to the website. The typical school year in Hungary is about 10 months, so if you are looking for a nice gap year – this is perfect.

Teach and Learn with Georgia
This program is a government-sponsored initiative in the country of Georgia to recruit native English speakers to work alongside Georgian teachers to help facilitate English classes. I was ¾ through the way of the application process when I found my current job. Although this is a “volunteer” program, teachers get accommodation with a host family, in country orientation, paid airfare, and also a stipend of around $330USD/month which is more than enough to live off of in Georgia. Although the link I gave above is the official government page, there are quite a few placement agencies in the USA and Canada helping them. If you google, “Teach and Learn with Georgia,” you can find agencies that will help you with the process for free.

Bridge TEFL Jobs
I don’t know much about this placement website, but I had emailed them a few times and they responded promptly and courteously. They offer placement in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia. For some of the countries, you must have a TEFL certification, and Bridge helps you obtain that as well. I don’t have much more information than that, but their support is pretty good at getting back to you on questions!

Well, I hope these few recommendations can help some people, especially those fresh out of college, with some ideas on how to land a placement in Central and Eastern Europe. There are a lot more opportunities as well, you just have to spend some time looking for them. 

Here's another article on Wandering Educators on how to find teaching jobs in Europe.

Read more from Corey: How to find fellow expats

Corey Sebens is the ESL Teaching in Central Europe Editor for Wandering Educators